23 years of experience, including the past 21 at the collegiate level. One of 71 people in the world to hold the Master of Strength and Conditioning (MSCC) certification. Entering his sixth year at UF, Marotti has already developed 22 All-Americans and seven first-round NFL draft choices during his tenure. Fifty-four different Gators have earned All-SEC or SEC All-Freshman team honors under his watch. Under the development of Coach Marotti, a Gator has won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Rimington Trophy, Sullivan Award, Wuerffel Trophy, Manning Award, John Mackey Award, National Player of the Year Award, SEC Player of the Year, SEC Offensive Player of the Year, MVP of the BCS National Championship Game, the SEC Championship Game and the Outback Bowl. The Gators won two BCS National Championships and two SEC Championships in three years with Marotti as the director of Strength and Conditioning. Responsible for the total development of sport-specific strength and conditioning programs for all 26 varsity sports in his time at Notre Dame. Coordinated strength and conditioning program for 20 sports at Cincinnati and also worked in the areas of diet analysis and planning and assisted in student-athlete rehabilitation from injuries. Certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning (CSCC) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Serves on the board of directors of CSCCA and is certified by the National Academy of Speed and Explosion. Earned four letters in football as a fullback at West Liberty State, serving as tri-captain in 1986 and winning first team NAIA All-Academic honors in 1987.

I read that article as well, and really, it might not be as big a loss for UF as much as it is a gain for OSU. UF will continue the practices they have and ultimately no one was going to UF specifically for him, but he seems to be regarded as another strong component in the Meyer recruiting machine.

- Reason: Mike Stoops, brother of Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, had been the head coach at the University of Arizona for the past 8 years. Arizona seemed poised to become one of the nation's elite teams by cracking the top 10 and opening 7-1 last season, igniting hope that the Wildcats could end their run as the only Pac-10 school to not play in the Rose Bowl.

After a dismal 1-5 start to 2011, Stoops was fired, opening the door for new opportunities. Rumor has it now that Stoops might come on to Urban Meyer's staff as a defensive coordinator.

What does Mike have to say about the job?

"It's an interesting time right now. It will be an interesting week; I will put it that way. I don't know what all is going to happen, but something will happen between this and next week."

He goes on, and this is where things really start heating up:

"Ohio State has always been a place we looked up to as one of the premier programs in all of football," Stoops said. "That's always exciting to have a chance to work at a place like that. And I love coaching defense.

"Being able to work with a guy like Urban would be exciting, too. He's a guy you know you can win a championship with. He's been there and done that. You'd love to have an opportunity like that."

Yah those were his (Stoops) thoughts a few days ago, as far as I've heard, he may have been at the WHAC yesterday, so we should get something new here soon.

I also disagree strongly with 80% on Studrawa...Thats probably who I'd most want personally, but word is plenty of teams like him for HC, and its not a given he'd make a lateral move to OSU. He'd detoured from the Urban train before, he wasn't a guy like Mullen who went from stop to stop with Meyer.

A lot of chatter about Stoops to DC. Makes sense. If Meyer really is trying to get some balance in his life, it makes a lot of sense to hire former semi successful HCs. Makes delegating much easier and you have a bunch of guys who know what needs to be done and will take initiative.

This train of thinking makes both Brewster and Stoops seem like strong hires as both were very successful coordinators and will be able to run their staffs. I like Studwara a lot, I just think about what he would do to our OL and get giddy.

Coming from a Wolverine, we're the football equivalent of a formerly abused wife of a meth addict who just remarried the safe nice guy. We're just glad we have someone who's aware that it's a rivalry and that tackling on defense is integral. Baby steps.

My family is really close with the Stoops family (my mom used to babysit Bobby and my grandfather was best friends with the old man right up until he died) and I can tell you they do have a true love for Ohio.

That said, all of my interactions with them have been Youngstown based and Y-town and C-Bus are not very similar.

JCoz wrote:Furls, another idea I like when it comes to hiring ex-HC's is that maybe they will be comfortable staying for a while and just being great coordinators, like Heacock.

Only negative with Greg Studrawa and Chad Morris is they wont be here more than 2 seasons you'd think. But you take that anyways I figure.

Would be nice though to have a staple on one side you can count on, and it makes more sense on Defense anyways IYAM. So hopefully you could get and keep Stoops for a good long run.

No matter who the OC is Urban Meyer will be running the show on that side of the ball. I am perfectly fine with that.

Great points on the longetivity of the coordinators. Both are sure to be HCs somewhere very soon, but that is the price you pay for good coordinators.

Coming from a Wolverine, we're the football equivalent of a formerly abused wife of a meth addict who just remarried the safe nice guy. We're just glad we have someone who's aware that it's a rivalry and that tackling on defense is integral. Baby steps.

pup wrote:I think the OC will be someone he trusts to be around for a bit as well.

The allure of "coming home" will be enough for Stoops, IMO.

Don't minimize the potential allure of being here, being part of something big, being successful and, most important of all, maybe being first in line when this job potentially comes open again in 6 years.

e0y2e3 wrote:Fickel's co-cordinator title is nothing more than a title.

Same as it was with Heacock.

Agreed. Fickell is there because of taking that bullet. I would be surprised if he doesn't leave in 2-3 years for another gig. What he needs to do is a good job at whatever spot he's in so that this year ends up a benefit as opposed to his legacy.

And Fickel is a great recruiter and provides Meyer a link to prior commits/recruits.

This is going to end up the best internship of Fickel's coaching career. Taking the Tressel base and sprinkling in some real X's and O's from Meyer will make him an incredibly attractive head coach candidate after he finishes his contract (two years left).

e0y2e3 wrote:My family is really close with the Stoops family (my mom used to babysit Bobby and my grandfather was best friends with the old man right up until he died) and I can tell you they do have a true love for Ohio.

That said, all of my interactions with them have been Youngstown based and Y-town and C-Bus are not very similar.

Looks like we may have to compete with Pelini for Stoops. How's that going to end...

I don't think it is a competition. We will get Stoops as long as we are willing to pay him. I think he would be an EXCELLENT hire, particularly for a coach interested in delegating. I love his style, those OU defenses in the early 00's were very fun to watch (until they inevitably met the NCG buzz saw!).

I just want to see tOSU go back to a normal 4-3 and stop playing nickel all game by design. The defense they ran required some ridiculously specialized guys that are not that common, and frankly we never really had the optimum guys. The LEO requires a specialized rush end, who is also capable of covering the flat or a short zone during a zone blitz. Williams could cover the flat or short zone, but could not get to the QB the way that you need out of a rush end. tOSU hasn't had a complete LEO since Bobby Carpenter.

The Star position just boggles my mind. It is good against a slow spread team, but the nickel back is generally to slow to play nickel against a good passing spread and is generally too small to play LB against a power running game like Wisco. So what happens.... tOSU uses a guy that is too slow against the spread team and pulls a LB off the bench that has like 4 snaps all season to play against Wisco.

This is OHIO FUCKING STATE. We should be running a 4-3 and destroying teams with 3 dominating LBs, then pulling our #3 CB (this year would be Dominick Clarke) off the bench to play to play teams that use a throwing spread.

I hate our DL play too, it is to straightforward upfront. We don't do nearly as much looping, twisting, stunting and slanting as other elite teams. We just rely on our DL to manhandle the OL, sometimes they do, but man wouldn't it be great if they didn't have to.

If having Stoops means I will see more man-press coverage, more long completions against our D, and more sacks, fumbles, ints I will take it! Ten years of bend don't break is killing me.

Coming from a Wolverine, we're the football equivalent of a formerly abused wife of a meth addict who just remarried the safe nice guy. We're just glad we have someone who's aware that it's a rivalry and that tackling on defense is integral. Baby steps.

And I agree for the most part though I'm not nearly as animated as you are about it, lol.

Won us a title afterall. Admittedly, Heacocks version was not nearly as aggressive as Dantonios that I can remember. But yah, the LEO is ridiculously specialized.

However I dont know that its not such a competition Furls. First wasn't one of the Stoops brothers in Pelini's wedding? They are close. And Stoops might not be as interested in coming to a half-filled out staff to coach with, to co-coordinate.

We will see I guess. Hopefully Meyer made the good pitch. I'd rather have Stoops/Fickell than Heater/Fickell.

Stoops and Pelinis are Y-Town folk and are close, but tOSU is home. I think Stoops picks home. As for co-Coordinating.... I am sure everyone will really know the real story. It will be Stoops' D, not Fickell's.

Coming from a Wolverine, we're the football equivalent of a formerly abused wife of a meth addict who just remarried the safe nice guy. We're just glad we have someone who's aware that it's a rivalry and that tackling on defense is integral. Baby steps.